Sutton police arrest driver found passed out in car

Police responding to a call about an erratic driver on Route 146 yesterday morning said they found the driver passed out in the front seat of the car with a handgun tucked into his waistband.

Officers were sent to Route 146 northbound at 6:17 a.m. on reports of a car all over the road, and eventually found the vehicle in a convenience store parking lot near Colonial Road, police said in a news release.

“When Officer Adam Rollins approached the vehicle he found the operator passed out in the operator’s seat,” the release said. “He immediately observed and removed a loaded .9 mm semi-automatic handgun from the operator’s waistband.”

Sgt. Joshua Nunnemacher and other officers attempted to administer field sobriety tests to the driver, identified as 34-year-old Alex Fernandez-Mojica of Riverside, R.I., but he allegedly fought the officers.

Officers arrested Mr. Fernandez-Mojica and charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol or .08 percent, carrying a firearm without a license, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a large capacity firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and multiple motor vehicle charges.

Police had arrested the same man Sept. 28 for drunken driving and driving with a suspended license when he was allegedly found passed out in the breakdown lane of Route 146 northbound. That case is pending in Uxbridge District Court, police said.

Mr. Fernandez-Mojica was held on $4,000 cash bail and was scheduled to be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court.